~Eaglekit's POV~

"Catch!" Eaglekit squealed gleefully as the limp body of a mouse flew through the air.

His brother, Foxkit, caught it and ran a few mouse-lengths away, trying to tempt his sister. She took the bait with a tiny growl and lunged, and to Eaglekit it looked for all the world like a small fuzzy black bird was swooping down upon his brother.

Foxkit squeaked playfully as Firekit bowled him over, and the two kits wrestled on the ground. Now's my chance! Eaglekit thought, and he crept forward as stealthily as he could. Firekit flipped Foxkit over so that she was on top, and Eaglekit used the distraction to steal the mouse, snagging it with his paw and pulling it away from his siblings.

"Hey! Eaglekit, I'll get you!" Foxkit yowled as he spotted the sneaky theft. He wiggled out from underneath his sister and pounced on the mouse, yanking it away from Eaglekit. With a tiny but ferocious growl, the brown-and-black kit tugged hard on the mouse's fur, sending Foxkit sprawling.

Eaglekit had little time to relish his victory, however, before Firekit had landed on his back and knocked him to the sandy ground. He squirmed underneath her and pummeled her belly with sheathed claws, but she wouldn't budge.

Suddenly, Foxkit slammed into her, and Eaglekit managed to throw Firekit off. He spun around and saw Foxkit clinging on to her while she furiously scrabbled at his paws. Eaglekit was about to join in and grab her scruff between his teeth when a gentle but stern voice stopped him.

"Kits! That's enough play-fighting. You'll disturb Berrykit and Snowkit!" said Softpelt. The motherly white queen was curled around her tiny kits, giving the three a pointed look.

Foxkit and Eaglekit hung their heads, but Firekit looked someone defiant. "They're not that young. What if they wanted to play with us?" She chirped.

Softpelt flicked her ear as she drew the two sleeping kits in question closer to her. "I'm sorry Firekit, but you three are just too big for them. Berrykit and Snowkit are only three moons old, while you're practically apprentices!"

Eaglekit perked up at this. That's right! We're going to be apprentices soon. It'll only be in a moon. He wiggled happily and nudged his sister. "I almost forgot!"

Firekit snorted. "How could you forget the biggest moment of our lives?! It's only what we've been looking forward to for, like, forever!"

"It was only for a second!" he retorted, his short tail flicking defiantly. He didn't need Firekit treating him like a mouse-brain!

"Sure it was. I bet you forgot that you forgot, mouse-brain!" she purred, seeming to read his thoughts.

"Well I can't wait!" Foxkit announced, stepping between the two.

Eaglekit nodded swiftly in agreement, immediately forgetting his brief anger. Meanwhile, Softpelt was purring as she looked at her adopted kits. "Don't worry, you'll be apprenticed before you know it. And what fine cats you'll grow to be! If only your mother could see you like this..." She trailed off, her pale blue eyes becoming downcast.

Eaglekit stared at the ground, memories of his real mother flashing through his mind. She would have been able to see them, had it not been for the terrible sickness that took her life. Foxpaw turned away beside him, the thought of her too much for him to bear.

Foxkit had always been the most sensitive of the siblings, and he had barely made it when Nightfrost, their mother, died. The only thing that had seemed to help him was his brother and sister, who experienced the same thing and could understand his pain. The three had been closer than ever since Nightfrost joined StarClan.

"Why don't you three go out and eat this mouse in the sunshine," Softpelt said quickly, trying to disperse their sadness.

Firekit seemed to notice the mouse again for the first time, and she grabbed it firmly with her teeth, dragging it out of the nursery into the pale light of the camp.

Since the nursery itself was in a dip in the half-cave that they lived in, Eaglekit and Foxkit had to help her shove it up the slope and into the main camp. As they pulled it along the sandy floor, sunlight streamed in through the entrance tunnel and warmed their pelts comfortably.

All around them were bare stone walls and jagged lumps of rock, but to the kits it looked like the most welcoming of places. Across from them was a steep slope that led downwards into the wilderness beyond; an entrance marked by an arc of ivy that clung to the rock like moss. Next to them was the medicine cat's den, where Minkfur could be seen sorting through a pile of spiky green leaves and small clusters of strange purple flowers. The scent of her herbs drifted out and mixed with the mixed earthy tones of the cave, not to mention the juicy fresh-kill in front of them.

Firekit plopped down beside Eaglekit, almost immediately tearing into the warm body of the mouse. Foxkit settled down on the other side, and Eaglekit pulled off a piece of it for himself. The three cats ate in silence for a few moments before Foxkit cleared his throat. "You know what we should do?"

Eaglekit looked up and cocked his head. "What?"

"We should go up to the Overhang!"

Firekit blinked in surprise. "The Overhang? You're kidding, right? We're not allowed up there, and anyways, it's a dumb idea."

"That's exactly why we should go," he declared. "It'll be an adventure! Besides, if Softpelt doesn't want us in the nursery disturbing the other kits, then we should do her a favor by staying out of her fur." Foxkit proclaimed, his small ginger tail lashing excitedly.

Eaglekit glanced towards the leader's den, where Shadowstar lived. His father had always drilled them on the importance of the Warrior code. Would it really be a good idea to disobey him? It did say that kits weren't supposed to hunt, patrol, leave camp, or go up to the Overhang. Softpelt and his real mother had made that clear when they told their stories in the nursery, as well as Shadowstar.

But then again, what better way to prove themselves as apprentices? Eaglekit knew that the next moon would travel by agonizingly slow. If they could get up to the Overhang, then they would practically be apprentices already, and it would prove their worth. Even if no one else knew but them, it would be the perfect personal assessment.

Eaglekit jumped up. "I think we should do it!"

Foxkit flicked his ears happily, and turned to Firekit, and expectant look on his face.

Firekit looked through narrowed eyes from brother to brother, then sighed and got to her paws. "It's not my fault if we get in trouble for this. But still, an adventure's an adventure!" Even she couldn't help but bounce a bit at the prospect of exploring what was always unknown to kits.

Eaglekit and Foxkit cheered, and the three dashed around the nursery. The enclosed stone den was set against a very high wall, and what appeared to be a simple scraggly bush stood in the corner. But the kits, who had explored every inch of the camp, knew that there was a hidden set of steps behind it that led up to the Overhang.

Eaglekit knew that if they were to try and go up the common way, which was a path just behind the Leader's Den, they would be spotted, since all of the warriors knew about that route and used it frequently. But only they knew about the one next to the nursery.

Foxkit slid underneath the low-hanging branches of the bush and crawled to the bottom-most cut in the cliff wall. Firekit came in after him, and then Eaglekit shoved his way through. It was a tight fit with all three of them, but there was still enough room to move a bit and turn around. Eaglekit watched the camp through the leaves of the bush with narrowed eyes, looking for anyone who might be looking their way.

The only cat that might of been able to spot them in their hiding place was Minkfur, but she was too busy organizing herbs to see what the kits were doing. Eaglekit signaled with his tail to Foxkit that it was okay to move.

Foxkit climbed up the steps till he was a tail-length or so above the bush at Eaglekit's signal. He paused for a moment to make sure no one was looking in his direction, then scrambled up the next few ledges.

Eaglekit hesitantly moved forward, his eyes always darting back to the camp.

"Come on!" Foxkit hissed, and Eaglekit was shocked to see him already at the top of the steps. With a flick of his ginger tail, he disappeared over the cliff wall, and Eaglekit felt a wave of determination wash over him. You're not going to show me up, Foxkit! He thought, and leaped onto the first ledge.

The surface itself was a barely a few mouse-lengths wide, but it was still big enough to give him ample support. Step after step he took, till Eaglekit was at the halfway mark. He made the decision to look down over the edge, and was instantly paralyzed with fear. Far, far below lay the bush, with Firekit's tiny black face peeking out from behind it. If he slipped, he would fall all the way down, and maybe even die. Eaglekit had not expected this wash of fear, and it made him dizzy.

Firekit saw his expression and snorted. "Get a move on, Eaglekit! You wanted to do this, right?"

Eaglekit's tail lashed back and forth nervously, and the fur along his spine stood on end. Even so, his fear couldn't match his pride, and he didn't want to look like a coward in front of Firekit. She wouldn't let him hear the end of it.

Swallowing back his fears, Eaglekit tentatively slid his paw forwards till it hit the next step. With his eyes squeezed shut, he shifted so that his pelt was pressed up against the solid cliff wall, and took a shaky step. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes and looked straight ahead, not daring to look down again. He moved forward one pawstep at a time, and slowly made his way up to the top of the cliff.

Foxkit greeted him with a flick of his ear, purring. "Glad you could make it, Eaglekit!" Eaglekit brushed his tail lightly against Foxkit's flank and turned to see how Firekit was doing. He was surprised to see her already halfway up the steps, and making good progress. I guess she's not as afraid of falling as I am, he thought sheepishly.

Firekit leaped onto the next ledge, now showing off with her agility. She bounded up the next few steps easily, but Eaglekit saw a step ahead of her that was shorter than the others. "Firekit! Watch out!" He hissed as loudly as he dared, but Firekit had already landed on it. She looked at him in confusion, but just at that moment her feet slipped over the edge.

Firekit wailed as she shot off of the step, and Eaglekit jumped, his heart beating like a rabbit's. Her hind claws gripped the hard stone desperately, but she still slid forward, her forepaws reeling. Eaglekit stood, frozen to the spot, as his sister stared down at her imminent doom.

Next to him, Foxkit gaped at the sight. He threw himself onto the steps and sank his teeth into her scruff, desperately pulling and tugging. Bit by bit, Firekit gained purchase on the small slab of stone, and she sank back against the wall in exhaustion. Foxkit kept a close eye on her from behind as she inched her way up to the top of the Overhang, being much more careful now.

As she brushed past Eaglekit, she gave him a look of contempt. "Why didn't you help me? I barely made it, even with Foxkit's help! And you just sat there!" Without waiting for a response, she stalked off. Eaglekit sighed, guilt clawing at his insides. It was true, he did nothing. I was too frozen with fear to do anything... He thought dejectedly.

Eaglekit felt a tail on his shoulder, and he turned to see Foxkit with a sympathetic loom on his face. "Don't worry," he whispered, "she'll get over it. You know how dramatic she can get." Eaglekit felt a little bit better after his brother's kind words, and he flicked Foxkit's ear with his tail.

"Come on, let's go see the view!" He mewed, and he scampered off to catch up with his sister, Foxkit right on his heels. Eaglekit skidded to a stop when he came up next to her. Firekit's eyes were round with wonder, the past argument forgotten.

"Look at that! It's so... big!" She gasped. Eaglekit followed her lead and looked out from where he was standing, noting the huge expanse of life that surrounded them. Greenery was everywhere, and the sun shone through the trees, providing a golden glow. Foxkit eagerly moved closer, nearing the edge of the Overhang.

Eaglekit watched him, worried, as he scooted towards the sheer drop. "Foxkit, remember what just happened to Firekit..." He started.

Foxkit brushed him off with the flick of a ginger tail. "Don't worry, I'll be careful. Besides, it looks so cool from here! The Overhang is right on top of the camp entrance, and I can see all sorts of bushes and stuff down there!" He leaned over the edge, all caution thrown to the wind in favor of curiosity.

A buzzing by his ear distracted Eaglekit, and he jumped back. "Watch out for that bee!" Firekit meowed, her eyes still glued to the distant trees of the forest. Eaglekit rolled his eyes and swatted at the annoying bug, making it zip away.

Foxkit glanced up to see it buzz towards him, and suddenly his posture grew rigid. "A... a b-bee!" he squealed, and he frantically ducked to avoid it. Eaglekit snickered, thinking of how silly Foxkit's fear was. Only then did her remember how close his brother was to the precarious edge. He dashed towards it, aiming to pull Foxkit back, but he was too late.

Foxkit's hind leg slipped, and he plunged over the Overhang with a shocked yowl.